Solar power has recently gained momentum as one of the leading renewable energy sources for today and beyond. Solar power is produced by converting sunlight into electricity using arrays of photovoltaics (PV)—or various other experimental technologies and materials. The arrays of photovoltaics, which are also generally referred to as “solar panels,” are typically mounted to a frame in such a way as to maximize the exposure of such arrays to sunlight. The solar panel mounting frames often span a considerable geographical area, in order to capture a sufficient amount of sunlight to efficiently generate a relevant amount of electricity. For example, in 2007, a 75-megawatt (MW) solar energy generating system was constructed near Boulder City, Nev., which includes a field of solar panels that covers approximately 300 acres.
Additional solar fields are currently under construction, and many are in the early planning stages. Given the significant amount of geographical area that these solar energy generating systems cover, a significant demand exists for methods and devices that enable solar panel mounting frames to be quickly and efficiently assembled. As explained below, the present invention provides an improved mechanical clip and pier cap assembly, which may be used for constructing solar panel mounting frames.